Carp a la Chambord—Common Carp

Procure common carp; scale it by slipping the blade of a knife between the scales and the skin, empty it out, cut off the gills, wash and wipe dry. Remove the skin from one side of the fish so that the meat is exposed, and stud this side with truffles; fill the inside with a fish quenelle forcemeat (No. 90), into which has been mixed a quarter as much cooked fine herbs (No. 385); cover with thin slices of fat pork. Braise the carp in a white wine court bouillon (No. 39). Instead of studding the carp on one side, after it is cooked, the whole body may be covered with a light layer of the forcemeat then brushed over twice with egg-yolks, allow to dry and imitate fish scales, using for this the tip of a soupspoon; beginning at the head. Cover over with thin slices of fat pork and in either case lay the carp in a fish kettle moistening it to half its heighth with a white wine mirepoix stock (No. 419), adding more moistening as fast as it evaporates; when the fish is done let it acquire a good color, then dress with the garnishings around in clusters, composed of mushroom heads, glazed truffles, trussed and glazed crawfish tails, smelt quenelles decorated with truffles and milts a la villeroi (No. 698), with the third part of a genevoise sauce (No. 469), to which the broth has been added and the whole reduced; pour over the mushrooms and send the remainder to the table in a sauce-boat.